SERIES HISTORYSeries History: Series began in 1970Overall: Oakland leads 10-9At Pittsburgh: Tied 5-5At Oakland/Los Angeles: Oakland leads 5-4Neutral Sites: N/ALast Regular-Season Meeting: Nov. 21, 2010 (in Pittsburgh)Pittsburgh 35, Oakland 3Postseason Series: Series tied 3-3Last Postseason Meeting: Jan. 23, 1983 (in Los Angeles)Los Angeles 38, Pittsburgh 10 (AFC Divisional Game)(postseason record not included in overall series record)This meeting marks the eighth time these two teams haveplayed in the regular season since 2000 and six of those eightmatchups have taken place at Heinz Field…the Steelers arelooking to win consecutive games in the series for the third timesince 1994-97 and the first time since back-to-back victories atHeinz Field in 2003-04…since 1994, Pittsburgh is 6-3 in regular seasoncontests against the Raiders, with four of those victoriescoming at home…prior to the Steelers blowout victory over Oaklandin 2010, the three previous regular season contests between2004 and 2009 were decided by seven points or less, with Oaklandwinning two of those three matchups…Sunday’s game will markthe third time Head Coach Mike Tomlin faces the Raiders duringthe regular season in his six years in Pittsburgh and he holds a 1-1 record in those contests.

STEELERS-RAIDERS CONNECTIONS

LOCAL CONNECTIONS• Steelers CB DeMarcus Van Dykewas drafted by Oakland in thethird round (81st overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. He spent his rookieseason with the Raiders before signing with Pittsburgh as a freeagent.• Steelers conditioning coordinator Garrett Giemont worked withthe Raiders as a strength and conditioning coach from 1995-2001 and then was the team’s strength and conditioningcoordinator for the 2002 season.• Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor is a native of Jeanette, Pa. and agraduate of Jeanette High School. Pryor was the USA Today andParade Player of the Year after his senior season and was one ofthe most highly sought-after recruits in the history of the state.• Raiders G Lucas Nix is a native of Jefferson Hills, Pa. and agraduate of Thomas Jefferson High School. An Army All-Americancoming out of high school, Nix played his collegiate football at theUniversity of Pittsburgh from 2008-2011.• Raiders CB Shawntae Spencer is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa.and a graduate of Woodland Hills High School, the same oneattended by Steelers S Ryan Mundy. Spencer stayed in the areafor college, playing for the University of Pittsburgh from 2000-2003. Spencer recorded eight interceptions in his career with thePanthers, returning one of those 68 yards for a touchdown.• Raiders C/G Stefen Wisniewski is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., agraduate of Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School and was anArmy All-American during his prep days.

PRO CONNECTIONS• Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley and Raiders specialteams coordinator Steve Hoffman were both on the coaching staff for the Dallas Cowboys in 2004. The two also spent the2009-11 seasons together in Kansas City when Haley was theChiefs head coach and Hoffman coached the special teams.Steelers TE Leonard Popewas also a member of the Chiefs from2009-2011.• Haley also worked with Raiders QB Matt Leinart from 2007-2008 when Haley was the Cardinals offensive coordinator andLeinart was one of Arizona’s quarterbacks.• Steelers LB Brandon Johnsonand Raiders QB Carson Palmer were teammates on the Cincinnati Bengals from 2008-2010.• Steelers wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery and Raiders G Cooper Carlisle were teammates with the Denver Broncosfrom 2000-2002.• Steelers tight ends coach James Daniel held the same positionwith the Falcons when Raiders offensive quality control coach Justin Griffith was a running back for the Atlanta Falcons in 2003.Raiders strength and conditioning coach Al Miller was also withthe Falcons during Daniel’s and Griffith’s tenures in Atlanta.• Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler and Raiderslinebackers coach Johnny Holland coached together on the DetroitLions staff from 2003-2005.• Steelers K Shaun Suishamand Raiders LS Jon Condo wereteammates with the Dallas Cowboys in 2005. That season,Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley was the Cowboys wide receivers coach.• Steelers QB Byron Leftwichand Raiders OT Khalif Barnes were teammates with the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2005-2006 seasons.

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS• Steelers S Troy Polamaluand Raiders QB Carson Palmer wereteammates at the University of Southern California from 1999-2002. Polamalu and Palmer were also teammates with Raiders QB Matt Leinart at USC from 2001-2002. Steelers running backscoach Kirby Wilson was also a member of the Trojans in 2001as he served as the team’s wide receivers coach.• Steelers RB Jonathan Dwyerand Raiders LB Philip Wheeler were teammates at Georgia Tech in 2007.• Steelers DE Cam Heyward and OT Mike Adamswere teammateswith Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor at Ohio State University from 2008-2010.• Steelers G Ramon Fosterand Raiders WR Denarius Moore were teammates at the University of Tennessee for the 2007 and2008 football seasons.• Steelers CB Curtis Brownand Raiders DE Lamarr Houston were teammates at the University of Texas from 2007-2009.• Steelers FB Will Johnsonand S Ryan Mundy were teammateswith Raiders FB Owen Schmitt at West Virginia University for the2007 college football season.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES • With a win, Pittsburgh will be 10-10 against the Raiders duringthe regular season and 5-5 on the road.• Looking for first road win against the Raiders since 1995, whenthe Steelers won 29-10.• The Steelers look to improve to 335-210-1 against AFC opponents,including the postseason.• Including the 2011 regular season, Pittsburgh’s defense is lookingto hold it’s fourth straight opponent under 100 net yards rushing.• If the Steelers’ defense holds the Raiders to under 140 net passingyards, it will be the first time since 2007 (40 yds.,11/5/07 vs. Bal. and 123 yds.,11/11/07 vs Cle.) that the Steelers have heldback-to-back opponents to less than 140 net passing yards (129,9/16/12 vs. NYJ).

PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Head Coach Mike Tomlin• With a win, will improve to 57-26 during the regular season.• Has a chance to improve to 43-20 against AFC opponents duringthe regular season.• Has a chance to improve record to 14-6 in September regular seasongames.• With a win, will enter the bye week with a 2-1 record, marking thesixth consecutive season the Steelers have went into the bye weekwith a winning record. It would also mark the fourth time in Tomlin’ six seasons that Pittsburgh entered the bye week with just oneloss (2010: 3-1 / 2008: 4-1 / 2007: 4-1).• Looks to improve to 5-1 in games the week before the bye week.• Looks to improve his regular season road record to 25-17.• With a win will be 2-1 against the Oakland Raiders.

QB Ben Roethlisberger• With a win, will be 82-34 as a starter during the regular season.• Needs one passing touchdown to become the second player inSteelers’ history (Terry Bradshaw, 212) to reach 170 career touchdownpasses.• Is one rushing touchdown away from passing Mark Malone (14)for the third most rushing touchdowns by a Steelers’ quarterback(Kordell Stewart, 35; Terry Bradshaw, 32).

WR Mike Wallace• If he records at least 100 yards receiving, it will mark the 13th 100-yard game of his career.• With one more reception of 25 or more yards he will pass WR Plaxico Burress (41) for the second most (Hines Ward, 81) 25 yard receptions by a Steelers’ player, dating back to 1991.

TE Heath Miller• With at least 67 receiving yards, he will become the eighth player in franchise history to reach 4,000 career receiving yards.• Needs one receiving touchdown to tie Ray Mathews (34) for the seventh-most in franchise history. He is three touchdowns shy of tying Elbie Nickel (37) for the most receiving touchdowns by a Steelers’ tight end.• Six receptions shy of joining Hines Ward (1,000), John Stallworth (537) and Louis Lipps (358) as the only players in franchise history with at least 350 career receptions during the regularseason.

SS Troy Polamalu• Needs one interception to become the ninth Steelers’ player to record 30 career interceptions.• With one fumble return for a touchdown, will tie Jason Gildon (3) for the most fumbles returned for touchdowns in franchise history. • Is one defensive touchdown shy of tieing Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff and Jack Butler (5) for the second-most defensive touchdowns in Steelers history (Rod Woodson, 6).• Needs one interception return for a touchdown to tie Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff, Deshea Townsend and Tony Campagno (3) for the fourth-most in franchise history.• Needs eight yards to surpass Chad Scott (368) for the 10th-most interception return yards in a career in Steelers’ history.

LB James Harrison• Needs one sack to tie Keith Willis (59.0) for fifth place on the Steelers’ all-time list.

LB LaMarr Woodley• Needs one sack to become the eighth player in team history with 50.0 career sacks. Dating back to 1982, it would mark the fastest a Steelers’ player has recorded 50 career sacks during the regular season (73 games).